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ENGINEER CORPS 
U. S. ARMY 

WASHINGTON, D. C. 


INSTRUCTION BOOK 

FOR 

EXPORT PACKING OF ENGINEER 
MATERIAL 








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Cl .\. -.1 

ENGINEER CORPS 
U. S. ARMY 

WASHINGTON, D. C. , 


INSTRUCTION BOOK 

FOR 

EXPORT PACKING OF ENGINEER 
MATERIAL 












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WAV 28 1919 


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INDEX. 


Page 


I. Crating Specifications, Standard, of the War 

Department.. 7 

II, Boxing Specifications, Standard, of the War 

Department. 13 

III. Wire-Bound Boxes, Standard Specifications for 

War Department. 19 

IV. Baling, Standard Specifications for, of the War 

I 

Department. 23 

V. The Problem—by the General Engineer Depot...... 27 

VI, Packing Specifications, Supplementary, by the Gen¬ 
eral Engineer Depot. 33 

VII. Marking Packages—Figures referred to in Text_ 43 


3 









I 


PREFACE. 


1. The problem of packing was studied with some care 

in the General Engineer Depot, and . in November, 1917, 
Captain M. W. Hill was instructed by Lieut. Colonel Wheeler 
to collect and digest the data available. The General Engineer 
Depot published its “General Notes on Export Packing” in 
February, 1918. Captain Charles J. McIntosh was assigned 
as officer in charge of packing about March 1st, but in a 
few weeks was transferred for service with the Shipping 
Board and was succeeded by Major C. M. Goodrich, who 
continued in this duty until the fall of 1918, when Captain 
M. W. Hill again took it up. , 

2. The work in connection with packing was a part of 
the work of the Production Division of the General Engi¬ 
neer Depot; Lieut. Colonel Earl Wheeler was chief of this 
Division until May, 1918, when Major H. W. Eells succeeded 
him. 

3. In June, 1918, the General Engineer Depot was ready 
to publish an elaborately revised and carefully studied speci¬ 
fication on packing. This was, however, held in abeyance 
as the subject of packing was taken up by Dr. A. A. Ham- 
merschlag. Chief of Research Branch, Purchase, Storage 
and Traffic Division, General Staff. As representative of 
the General Engineer Depot, Major Goodrich suggested to 
Dr. Hammerschlag that three men expert in packing prob¬ 
lems, Mr. T. C. Morganweck of the International Harvester 
Co., Mr. M. C. Fitzgerald of the General Electric Co., 
Mr. D. L. Quinn of the Forest Products Laboratory, Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, be appointed as a committee. As a 
result of their work the boxing and crating specifications 
of the War Department, printed as parts 1, 2 and 3 herein, 
were finally published. 

4. The specifications prepared by the General Engineer 
Depot were delayed until the specifications of the War 
Department were printed, and at that time it was the 
intention to publish these, together with those clauses in 
the specifications of the depot, which were not covered in 
the specifications published by the War Department. At 
this time, however, the major portion of the General Engi¬ 
neer Depot was transferred to the Office of the Director 
of Purchase, and under these changing conditions the print¬ 
ing of this booklet was again delayed. That portion of the 
General Engineer Depot which remained was re-named 

5 


Technical Engineer Design and Procurement Division, Corps 
of Engineers, U. S. Army, on November 19, 1918, and now 
prints herein both the specifications issued by the War 
Department and supplementary specifications which covered 
the clauses not included in the very excellent work of the 
committee named above. 



PART I 


STANDARD CRATING SPECIFICATIONS OF THE 
WAR DEPARTMENT. 


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V 



PART I. 

STANDARD CRATING SPECIFICATIONS OF THE 
WAR DEPARTMENT. 


A crate consists of a frame with or without bracing. It 
may be of open construction or completely closed with 
sheathing. The lumber must be sound (free from decay 
and dote), well manufactured, and well seasoned. Frame 
and bracing must be free from knots greater than one- 
fourth the width of the face, and sheathing material must 
be free from knots greater than one-third the width of the 
boards measured as in Fig. O. No knot^ shall be permitted 
that interferes with nailing. 

Methods of Measuring Size of Knot. 


/ 

i- 

Width of 

y/ .. 


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Fig. O 


For these specifications well-seasoned lumber has an 
average moisture content of 12 to 18 per cent based on the 
weight of the wood after oven drying. To determine the 
moisture content weigh a piece of material before and after 
drying to a constant weight, dry at about 100° C. (212° F.), 
and divide the difference in the weights by the lesser X 100. 

The principal woods used for framing and for frame 
bracing and sheathing are grouped as follows: 

Frames and Frame Braces. 

GROUP I. 

' I 

Cottonwood. 

Cucumber. 

Cypress. 

Lodgepole pine. 

Noble fir. 

Norway pine. 

Magnolia. 

Redwood. 


Alpine fir. 

Aspen. 

Balsam fir. 

Basswood. 

Buckeye. 

Butternut. 

Cedar. 

Chestnut. 


9 






spruce. 

Sugar pine. 

Western yellow pine. 
White fir. 


White pine. 
Willow. 

Yellow poplar. 


GROUP II. 


Ash. 

Beech. 

Birch. 

Black gum. 
Douglas fir. 
Elm. 

Hackberry. 

Hemlock. 

Larch. 


Maple. 

Oak. 

Red gum. 

Southern yellow pine. 
Sycamore. 

Tupelo. 

Virginia and North Carolina 


pine. 


Sheathing. —Any species of wood may be used for 
sheathing. 

Thickness of material. —When woods used for frames 
and braces in group 1 are 1 to 2 inches thick, woods in group 
2 may be one-fourth inch less in thickness; when woods in 
group 1 are more than 2 inches thick, woods in group 2 may 
be one-half inch less in thickness. 

Sheathing material of wood shall be approximately thir¬ 
teen-sixteenths inch thick. , 

Widths of luiniber. —Pieces less than 3 inches wide shall 
not be used in frames or frame braces. Pieces less than 
2yz inches wide shall not be used in sheathing. 

Nails. —All nails 20d. or less shall be standard cement- 
coated box nails. 

In frames, frame braces, and sheathing the thickness 
of the member to be nailed on determines the penny of the 
nails used. In frame and frame braces the length of the 
nail should not be less than twice the thickness of the 
member nailed on. In sheathing the nails should be 2d. 
larger than the thickness of the member expressed in 
eighths of an inch. 

Spacing nails. —Frames and braces shall not have less 
than two nails in each nailing edge. Nails in bracing and 
sheathing are to be staggered, approximately 2j4 inches 
apart. Cross braces must have not less than two nails 
driven through the two pieces and these must be clinched 
where possible. Bracing should have as many nails as can 
be driven without splitting either member. 

Bolts. —Bolts shall be used on heavy frame pieces, not 
less than two bolts to each framing edge. (See Fig. 2.) 
Standard cut washers shall be used under boltheads and 
nuts, except under heads of carriage bolts. Holes for bolts 


10 


shall be the same diameter as the bolts. Carriage bolts 
shall be used in preference to machine bolts. Not less than 
three-eighth-inch bolts shall be used for frames 1 to V /2 
inches thick; one-half-inch bolts in frames up to 3 inches 
thick; five-eighth-inch bolts in frames over 3 inches thick. 

Contents shall be bolted to skids with not less than four 
bolts where feasible, the size of the bolts to be determined 
by the holes in the machine base. When machine bolts are 
used, heads shall be counterbored flush with skids, and each 
bolt shall have a single-cut washer of standard size. The 
thread of bolts shall be upset close to the nut, so that the 
nuts will not work loose in transportation. To remove .the 
nuts split them if necessary. 

Designs of Crates and Crate Bracing. 

The preferred design of crate construction is the three- 
way corner construction end in which are placed on the 
inside of the longitudinal members either the vertical or 
horizontal end members, whichever conserves the greater 
space. (See Fig. 1.) 

On heavy articles skids should be at least 50 per cent 
thicker than the other members of the frame, the additional 
thickness to be in a separate piece bolted to the skids and 
extended to meet the vertical members. (See Fig. 3.) 

Combined thickness of the cross braces shall equal the 
thickness of the frame members. (See Fig. 6.) 

In angular crate bracing a cross member shall be placed 
so as to bring the angular brace as near 45° as possible. 
(See Fig. S.y 

On all heavy material each side of crate shall be marked 
so as to show the center of gravity and the skids shall be 
slotted on each side far enough apart to admit of proper 


^ The following rules indicate spacing for cross members and number 
of sections of angular braces: 

Divide the longer dimension of the side or end to be braced by the 
shorter dimension. 

1. If the result is less than 1J4, use one angular or crossed brace 
(Fig. 5). Page 12. 

2. If the result is 1^2 or more and less than 3, use a cross member 
and two angular or crossed braces (Fig. 9). 

8-^3 = 2 . 6 . 

Use cross member and two angular braces or use cross member 

and two crossed braces. 

3. If the result is 3 or greater, use a number of angular or crossed 

braces equal to the first figure of the result and cross members to cor¬ 

respond, thus (Fig. 11). 

14 -t- 3 = 4.6. 

Use four angular braces (or crossed braces) and three crossed 

members. 


11 



handling. Slots shall be at least 2 inches deep by 8 inches 
long, so that when the crate is being slung the hook on the 
hoisting point will span equally the center of gravity. 
(See Fig. 9.) 


Internal Bracing. 

Cleats of suitable length and thickness shall be used and 
shall be nailed or bolted to the skids at the base of contents 
so as to prevent longitudinal movements. All internal cleats 
and bracing, so far as possible, shall be so placed that the 
compression stress is against the end grain of the wood. 
(Ste Fig. 12.) 

When contents have no base holes for bolting to skids, 
clamps must be placed at each end or side, fitted snugly 
to the load, and held in place by one bolt at each end. The 
clamps shall be full width of crate and of such square 
dimensions as will admit of no springing when bolts are 
drawn home. Such contents shall also have side cleats to 
prevent lateral movement. 

Space for marking. —Some members of the crate shall 
be surfaced to permit adequate space for markings. 

Exceptions to General Specifications. 

In the designing of crates for the protection of contents 
the information given, with the explanatory drawings, is 
of a general character and covers in a general way all the 
material to be handled. There are, however, many excep¬ 
tional cases where the material to be crated is of such a 
nature that it may be necessary to depart from these rules. 
All manufacturers contributing material for government uses 
should remember that conditions under which this material 
is handled are probably very much rougher and that the 
facilities for handling it are fewer than ordinarily is the 
case in export service. While the nature of the contents 
indicates the manner in which it is to ride, whenever pos¬ 
sible material should be packed so that the package will 
rest safely on side, top, bottom, or end. 

Strapping on crates. —In the use of strapping on crates 
there are so many forms, with such varied uses and func¬ 
tions, that it is not practical to lay down any fundamental 
rules to govern; yet straps are absolutely essential in certain 
cases, and must not be omitted in those instances, particu¬ 
larly at corners and at joints. 


12 


PART II 


STANDARD BOXING SPECIFICATIONS OF THE 
WAR DEPARTMENT. 



I 




PART II. 

STANDARD BOXING SPECIFICATIONS OF THE 
WAR DEPARTMENT. 


Specifications for Nailed and Locked Cornered Packing 

Boxes. 

It is the purpose of these specifications to make use of 
all the resources of the country with reference to boxing. 
The specifications are not intended to prevent the designa¬ 
tion by a particular division of a specific box where only 
such a box meets the requirement for particular types of 
shipment, but in no case shall any type of box be designated 
exclusively unless it is the only one capable of use for the 
particular purpose. Where two or more types of boxes 
fall under these specifications, and such boxes are satis¬ 
factory for the particular type of shipment, the option of 
use shall lie with the shipper. 


Methods of Measuring Size of Knot. 



width ‘o*f 


Fig. O 


Where articles are controlled through exclusive patents, 
or other exclusive processes, no preference in purchasing 
or in specifications shall be adopted which gives such 
articles an exclusive position. 

Where boxes falling within these specifications are man¬ 
ufactured or controlled through the use of patent rights 
or other exclusive processes, such boxes shall not be used 
unless provision is made by which these processes or rights 
shall in future be open equally to all manufacturers desiring 
to use them, under terms not in excess of those which have 
in the past been generally extended to the trade; this quali¬ 
fication to apply to all boxes to be used directly or indirectly 
by the United States Government during the duration of 
the war. 

Nailed and locked corner boxes must be well manufac¬ 
tured from lumber which is sound (free from decay and 


15 







dote) and well seasoned. Lumber must be free from knot 
holes and from loose or rotten knots greater than 1 inch 
in diameter. Knots whose diameter exceed one-third the 
width of the board, measured as in Figure O, will not be 
permitted, and no knots will be permitted which interfere 
with the proper nailing of the box. 

For these specifications well-seasoned lumber has an 
average moisture content of 12 to 18 per cent based on the 
weight of the wood after oven drying. To determine this 
moisture content weigh a piece of material before and after 
oven drying to a constant weight, dry at 100° C. (212° F.), 
and divide the difference in weights by the lesser X 100. 

The principal woods used for boxes are classed for the 
purposes of specifications in four groups: 


GROUP 1. 


Alpine fir. 

Noble fir. 

Aspen. 

Norway pine. 

Balsam fir. 

. Magnolia. 

Basswood. 

Redwood. 

Buckeye. 

Spruce. 

Butternut. 

Sugar pine. 

Cedar. 

Western yellow pine. 

Chestnut. 

White fir. 

Cottonwood. 

White pine. 

Cucumber. 

Willow. 

Cypress. 

Yellow poplar. 

Lodgepole pine. 



GROUP II. 

Douglas fir. 

Southern yellow pine. 

Larch. 

Virginia and Carolina 

Hemlock. 



GROUP III. 

Black ash. 

Pumpkin ash. Tupelo. 

Black gum. 

Red gum. White elm. 

Maple, soft or silver. 

Sycamore. 


GROUP IV. 

Beech. 

Hard maple. Rock elm. 

Birch. 

Oak. White ash. 

Hackberry. 



Thickness of lumber. —Where woods in groups 1 and 2 
are one-half inch thick and not less than three-eighths inch, 
woods in groups 3 and 4 may be one-sixteenth inch less 
in thickness; where woods in groups 1 and 2 are more 

16 


than one-half inch tjiick and not more than 1 inch, woods 
in groups 3 and 4 may be one-eighth inch less in thickness. 

Width of lumber.— (a) Any end, side, top, or bottom 6 
inches or less in width should be one-piece stock. 

(b) No piece less than 2^2 inches face width shall be 
used in any part except for cleats. 

(c) The maximum number of pieces allowed in any end, 
side, top, or bottom more than 6 inches wide should be as 
follows (narrow pieces should always be placed in the center 
of the ends, sides, top, or bottom) : 


Maximum 

Width of face: ' number of pieces. 

Six inches and under. 1 

Over 6-10 inches, inclusive. 2 

Over 10-15 inches, inclusive. 3 

Over 15-20 inches, inclusive. 4 

Over 20-25 inches, inclusive. 5 

Over 25 inches. 6 


Surfacing. —All material must be surfaced one or two 
sides. When surfaced one side the surfaced side shall be 
the outside. 

Joining. —Ends 1 inch or less in thickness should be either 
cleated or butt joined and fastened with not less than three 
corrugated fasteners, two driven from one side and one 
from the opposite side. Cleats should be not less than 2 
inches wide and should have a minimum thickness of five- 
eighths inch. Triangular cleats of not less than three- 
fourths inch face measurement are permitted. 

Nails.— All nails shoud be standard cement coated box 
nails. Plain nails driven through and clinched may be used 
for dealing. 

The size of the nail shall depend upon the species and 
the thickness of the lumber in which the points of the nails 
are held. 

When the nail specified for use under these specifications 
is not obtainable, use the next penny lower, and increase 
the number of nails in each nailing edge by one. 

In groups 3 and 4 woods, the penny of the nail shall be 
the thickness of the lumber expressed in eighths of an inch. 
Groups 1 and 2 woods shall take the next penny larger. 

Spacing of nails holding sides, top, and bottom to ends.— 
Six-penny nails and smaller: For 6-penny nails and smaller, 
space not more than 1^^ inches apart when driven in the 
side grain of the end and not more than 1^4 inches when 
driven in the end grain. 

Nails larger than 6 penny: The spacing of nails in end 

17 








construction may be increased from the above, one-fourth 
inch for each penny over 6. 

Drive nails flush. 

Spacing of nails holding top and bottom to sides. —Side 
nailing: When sides are one-half inch or thicker, space side 
nails approximately 6 inches apart. 

Metal bindings. —All packing boxes for overseas service 
must be strap ironed. Strapping shall be cold rolled unan¬ 
nealed steel not less than five-eighths inch wide by 0.015 
thick, treated to prevent rust, and shall have a tensile 
strength of not less than 850 pounds. The treatment must 
be of a character to prevent injury to strapping when bent 
or nailed. 

Strapping placed at least 1 inch from each end is pre¬ 
ferred, with double corner nails and such additional nails or 
staples holding straps to sides, top, and bottom as well 
minimizing festooning nails or staples spaced about 6 inches 
apart. (See Fig. V/ 2 , sec. AA.) 

Strapping must be drawn tight by mechanical means in 
order to have the maximum of tension. 

Any metal or wire substituted for straps must be sub¬ 
mitted to the War Department and approved prior to its use. 

Note. —It is preferable to have ends and cleats made of woods of groups 
3 and 4; side, tops, and bottoms may be of any species of woods in groups 
1, 2, 3, or 4. Twenty-penny nails and over smooth nails may be used. 


18 


PART III 


STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR 
WIRE-BOUND BOXES. 


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PART III. 


STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR WIRE-BOUND 

BOXES. 

Boxes must be well manufactured from lumber which is 
sound (free from decay and dote) and well seasoned. Lum¬ 
ber kiln dried at excessively high temperature or low 
humidities or below 6 per cent moisture must be avoided. 
Material must be free from knot holes and from loose or 
rotten knots greater than 1 inch in diameter. No knots 
will be permitted which interfere with the proper nailing 
or stapling. 

Cleats. —Cleat material must be free from knots and 
cross grain. Cleats must not be less than three-fourths inch 
wide, seven-eighths inch thick. 

Wires. —Wires shall not be less than No. 14 gauge nor 
spaced more than 6 inches apart. 

Staples. —Staples shall be spaced not more than 2 inches 
apart over each wire. Staples which are not driven into 
cleats must be clinched. 

Ends. —On boxes not to exceed 20 by 15 by 10 inches 
inside measurement and carrying not to exceed 90 pounds 
the ends may be the same thickness as the sheet material, 
and should be nailed or stapled on the inside of the cleats. 
Nails and staples shall be spaced approximately 2 inches 
apart. On larger boxes of heavier weights the ends shall 
be nailed to battens or to solid ends set between the cleats. 
A 7-penny nail must be driven through cleat into each end 
of each batten. 

Number of pieces. —Sides and tops shall be one-piece 
stock, and bottom one or two piece stock if made of rotary- 
cut lumber not less than one-fourth inch thick. If two- 
piece sides and tops and three-piece bottoms are used, mate¬ 
rial must be at least one-thirty-second inch heavier than 
one-piece stock, or wires spaced not more than 5 inches 
apart. 

When resawed material is used in sides, tops, and bot¬ 
toms it shall be one-sixteenth of an inch thicker than the 
rotary-cut lumber specified for one-piece stock. 

Limitations. —There are limitations as to sizes, weights, 
and commodities that can be packed in wire-bound boxes. 
These limitations, however, cannot be definitely fixed in any 
general specifications. 


21 






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PART IV. 

STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR BALING. 


I 





PART IV. 

STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR BALING. 


1. Size of Bale. —Bales shall be made to conform to the 
following standard size: Length, 30 inches; width, 15 inches; 
height variable, but approaching 15 inches as nearly as pos¬ 
sible, but not being less than 14 inches nor more than 19 
inches; gross weight, 70 to 140 pounds. 

The only exception to this rule will be when the material 
to be baled is of such size and weight that it is impossible 
or impracticable to make it into a bale of this standard 
size and weight. 

2. Number of Articles Per Bale. —The purpose in baling 
is to pack the maximum number of articles in the minimum 
of space without damaging them. 

3. Method of Folding and Forming Articles in Bales.— 
Care should be taken in folding and forming that articles 
will produce neat, uniform, and compact bales; care taken 
that joints be broken to avoid cutting of covering by straps. 

4. Covering. —Bales shall be covered with burlap of 
weight not less than 10 ounces to 40 inches in width. 

For the standard bale 30 by 15 by 14 to 19 inches, two 
pieces are required, each piece 50 by 40 inches wide. Larger 
sizes require corresponding larger pieces. 

5. Interlining Paper. —Each bale shall have underneath 
the burlap a lining of waterproof paper. 

The interlining paper shall conform to the following 
specifications: 

60/60 Waterproof Kraft Wrapping Paper for Baling. 

Weight. —Shall not be less than 330 pounds. (Two sheets 
60-pound Kraft duplexed with asphaltum.) 36 X 50—480 
(24 X 36—480, 160 pounds). 

Stock. —Shall be 100 per cent sulphate pulp. 

Bursting strength. —Shall be not less than 140" points. 
Bursting strength after exposure of the waterproofed side 
to 3 inches of water for three hours shall not decrease more 
than 25 per cent. 

Water resistance. —The paper shall not wet or dampen 
through in ten days. 

Waterproofing. —The paper shall be duplexed with and 
one surface waterproofed with asphaltum or its equal. The 
paper shall be flexible, but not tacky under ordinary weather 
conditions where a duplex paper is used. 

25 


Cohesion— The piles shall not separate under service 
conditions. 

Basis of purchase. —For 1,000 sheets 36 by 50. 

Explanation of tests. —Bursting strength is determined 
with the Mullen tester or testing machine giving equivalent 
results, the paper clamped w^ith the waterproofed side up. 
Water-resistance test to be made with a column of water 
3 inches in height after the paper has been crumpled in 
the hand. 

For the standard bale 30 by 15 by 14 to 19 inches experi¬ 
ence has shown that it is desirable to have at least two 
sheets, each sheet 50 inches long and 36 inches wide. Larger 
sizes require correspondingly larger sheets. The sides of 
bales should be reinforced when necessary with fiber boards, 
%-inch slats, or other light material to add protection and 
rigidity. 

6. Banding. —The banding shall be of cold-rolled unan¬ 
nealed steel §4 inch wide, not less than No. 26 gauge. It shall 
be painted or coated to prevent rust and shall have a tensile 
strength of not less than 850 pounds. 

Not less than four bands shall be used on each bale. The 
two outside bands shall be placed approximately 4 inches 
from each end, and the intermediate bands shall be placed 
equidistant from each and from the end bands. 

Bands shall be applied by a mechanical stretching tool 
and must be stretched so tightly that the compression of 
the bale will be held and that the bands will remain in 
place and not slip off over the ends of the bale. 

7. Sealing of Bands.— The ends of bands shall be sealed 
with a metal sleeve or seal designed to be either punched 
or crimped. The breaking strength of the sealed joint shall 
not be less than 50 per cent of the breaking strength of the 
strapping. 

Loose ends of bands shall be folded under, cut round, cut 
or broken off so that no spider is left projecting. 

8. Sewing.— The burlap shall be sewed up with three-ply 
linen or twine of equal quality of not less than 40 pounds 
tensile strength. Bales shall be sewed sides and ends and 
each stitch shall be knotted, and stitches shall be not less 
than 2 inches in length. 

9. Ears. —Not less than 5 inches of surplus burlap shall 
be gathered together on each of the four corners and 
securely sewed into “ears” for handles. All ends of twine 
shall be securely fastened. 

10. Stenciling.— Stencil black. United States Army stand¬ 
ard, must be used, and the marking shall be in letters or 
figures, as large as possible. (Note: See “Marking,” for 
composition of this stencil black). 

26 


PART V. 

THE PROBLEM. 





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PART V. 

THE PROBLEM. 

Purpose. —The purpose of this little book is to furnish a 
guide for overseas shipments for Engineer Materiel. 

We all v^ant results, and prompt results. Hair-splitting 
is out of place; rules are worthless unless we use common 
sense in applying them; a reasonable compromise to avoid 
delay, or a change that is good, will be accepted. 

Requirements: We want— 

(a) Safe delivery at destination. 

(b) Savings in shipping space and in weight. 

(c) Least cost. 

(d) Conservation of raw materials, where wartime de¬ 
mand exceeds the supply. 

(e) Salvage of packing material overseas; bolts, band 
iron, lumber, burlap for sandbags or camouflage. 

(f) Such packages as can be handled by one or two men, 
75 pounds or 140 pounds; often the stevedores overseas are 
women. 

(g) Packages convenient for many transshipments, and 
for issue. 

(h) No packing at all where it isn’t necessary. 

(i) Packages whose contents are hard to steal on 
the way. 

(j) Packages that can stand in the rain on the docks or 
one side of a railroad track without injury from rain or 
salt spray. 

(k) Packages that can be placed on any side or end, and 
have other packages piled on top. 

(l) Standard methods so long as convenient, 

(m) Marking that is complete and exact, and nothing 
else—no advertising. 

Troubles. —There has been an increase of over 300 per 
cent in the loss and damage claims account of the railroads 
during the past ten years. At the depot’s receiving yards 
of the United States coast there are gangs patching bad 
packages and entirely repacking others; this is due some¬ 
times to criminally bad packing, sometimes to stupidity, 
occasionally to brutally bad handling. 

Trash lumber is sure to break. Use strong material, not 
high-priced clear stuff. 


29 


Kegs with contents over 150 pounds generally break and 
the contents are lost or thrown into the water. Barrels 
worse than oil barrels are quite worthless; the chime always 
breaks unless protected. 

Annealed steel bands stretch and become useless. Thin 
bands, or those insufficiently fastened, are torn off by other 
boxes dragged over the'm. Bands too near the end are torn 
off first. Bands put on loosely form loops and are very bad; 
set them up taut with a stretcher. 

Good lumber badly fastened together makes a bad box 
or crate; usually the trouble is with too few nails, screws, 
bolts, or too little band iron. When in doubt, use more band 
iron and more nails. Cement-coated nails don’t pull out; the 
others do. 

Handling. —We have never packed well enough for peace 
times; now handling is rougher than ever before. Our pack¬ 
ages may get a great many handlings—into storage from 
cars, out of storage into a car, on to a dock or lighter, on 
to a vessel; out of the vessel to a lighter, to a pile on a dock, 
to cars, into a main depot, to a car or truck, to another 
depot, to a truck, to where it is to be used. 

In loading, packages are often slid down a long chute, 
to bring up with a bang at the bottom. Rough handling 
sometimes seems intentional, possibly to get a chance to 
steal the contents. When a steamer discharges or takes on 
cargo in rough water, a cargo net may be used; if so, sev¬ 
eral tons of boxes and bales are piled in the net, swung out 
on a derrick boom over the dock, or the hatch, or a vio¬ 
lently pitching lighter, and when the net is within 10 or 15 
feet of where the material is to go, the signal is given and 
down goes the load with a rush. The package at the bottom 
gets the full shock, and should withstand much bad 
treatment. 

A valuable article should show its value in the kind of a 
box it has around it; it may then get better treatment. 

Overseas. —We must think of the men who need what we 
are sending. We want to get the goods to them. .We can 
replace the material lost by bad packing, perhaps, but we 
cannot replace the time lost nor the cargo space misused 
because we pack badly. We must design packages as we 
design machinery, with care and common sense, and try 
out if in doubt. 

Study of the Problem. —All the branches of the War De¬ 
partment are studying this problem. The Quartermaster 
Department has saved millions of cubic feet of cargo space 
by baling everything possible; the Ordnance Department 
has saved space by better designs of ammunition carriers, of 
boxing and crating of all kinds; the Medical Corps has 

30 


saved labor, material and ship space by a carc,ful study of 
shipping cases of special design. The Signal Corps and the 
Engineer Corps have done the same, knocking down and 
packing bulky shipments solid, using lumber and metal that 
can be used again overseas. 

We have gone into ships, over docks, through store¬ 
houses and factories to look at packing; we have sat on 
wharves and watched unloadings and loadings. 

The United States Government has a Forest Products 
Laboratory at Madison, Wis., and here the Box Laboratory 
has made thousands of tests on boxes and crates in 
machines built for the purpose. 

Several big exporting companies have sent their experts 
to help us, men who have gone to Europe and South America 
and Asia, and pretty nearly everywhere, just to see how 
their packing came out, and how others packed goods, men 
who have studied the problem hard and who know how hard 
a problem it is. 

Many manufacturers have helped us, told us our mis¬ 
takes, acknowledged theirs, found new methods better than 
the old, talked it over with others, sent their packing men 
to other factories. 


\ 


31 








PART VT 


SUPPLEMENTARY SPECIFICATIONS FOR 
PACKING FOR ENGINEER MATERIAL. 








PART VI. 

SUPPLEMENTARY SPECIFICATIONS FOR PACKING 
FOR ENGINEER MATERIAL. 

Special Cases. 

1. Where the method of packing is given on drawings or 
in sketches or other definite directions, such directions shall 
govern. 

2. Packing not satisfactory shall be so changed as to 
meet approval, previous approval notwithstanding. The 
officer in charge will adjust with the contractor for any 
extra cost involved. 

3. Old boxes, barrels or other old containers will not be 
used. Oil barrels or equal are excepted if in first-class 
condition. 

4. When required in the order, approved seals will be 

placed upon the packages. , 

Bands. 

5. Each case will be firmly bound with unannealed cold 
rolled strip steel. Ends should lap at least four inches. 
Care must be exercised in nailing not to injure contents of 
package. 

6. Bands shall be drawn tight by mechanical means (see 
Figs. 16 and 17) ; the use of a hammer claw, and driving a 
nail on a slant and then straightening it up, are not satis¬ 
factory. The joint shall be on the side of the box or crate. 
The tools sketched are not patented. 

7. Bands shall preferably be put on as late as may be 
before shipment, to minimize the effect of shrinkage. 

Loads. 

8. Where practicable the gross weight of a package shall 
be from 60 to 300 pounds. Convenience of storage, transfer, 
and issue to field forces shall be considered. 

Shifting. 

9. Heavy articles should be separated from light ones. 
When shipped in the same case a strong separate compart¬ 
ment should be used. 

10. Cast pieces, which are liable to fracture, shall not 
rest together, but must be cushioned, or separated by wood 
brace, block or sheeting. 


35 


11. Cross timbers which hold heavy articles in place 
should be soc4ceted at the ends (see Fig. 25) where there is 
danger of splitting if nails only are used. 

12. Where light gray iron castings or breakable machine 
parts are near the outside of a package, brace the case so 
that there may be always 1-inch clearance between the 
articles and the case. 

13. Articles subject to damage by moisture shall be ade¬ 
quately protected. 

14. Cameras and photographic supplies requiring such 
treatment should be hermetically sealed, either in an asphalt 
treated cotton fabric (where necessary asphalt pitch sealed, 
lapping at last 6 inches) or in an approved waterproofed 
container, taped over the joints and with a coat of China 
wood oil over these. 

15. For boxes weighing not over 200 pounds and of less 
size than 15 cubic feet, the forms shown in Figs. 18, 19, 20 
and 22 will preferably be used. The three-way lock corner 
box is most dependable. 

16. Corner posts are preferred in all packages over 300 
pounds. 

17. The size number and manner of applying bands are 
shown in Figs. 18, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24. (See also general 
specifications.) 


Wall Board. 

18. Wall board will be packed as shown in Fig. 29. Only 
practically waterproof wall board will be used for covers. 

Kegs for Steel Products. 

19. Hardware, nails, bolts, etc., should be packed in small 
cases or kegs, made of first-class material, with heads rein¬ 
forced by double heads, flush with the chime, with grain in 
the heads at right angles, well nailed together, banded with 
not less than four straps ^ inch by .015 inch, secured in 
place by removing the two outer hoops, drawing the strips 
down and fastening them beyond the two hoops, after which 
the two hoops are replaced and secured in position. 

Alternatively, the heads shall be secured by small strips 
of wood around the edge, called “head lining,” and an ap¬ 
proved steel cleat crossing the grain of the head and sup¬ 
porting it, such cleat to have ends extending under the end 
band and well down the sides and well secured. 

20. The sides of the keg shall be of a suitable thickness 
of lumber, and, in addition to usual reinforcing around top 
and bottom, shall be bound firmly at top and bottom with a 
soft iron and band or strap. Strap shall not be less than 
^ inch by .015 inch. 


36 


21. Where practicable, the weight of the keg and its 
contents shall be under 125 pounds. 


Barrels for Steel Products. 

22. Oil barrels, or equal, shall be used. 

23. Wood filling will fill the end level with the chime and 
support it; its direction shall be across the board of the 
head. Inside the head a second head shall be placed, U/i 
inches thick, its boards extending at right angles to the 
boards of the head. The heads shall be carefully secured to 
the sides, at least three bands 1 inch by .030 inch will cross 
the head and be secured under two hoops at each end and 
to the sides. 


Oils, Paints and Liquids. 

24. Oils, paints and similar liquids will preferably be 
shipped in 50-gallon steel drums of not less than .0625 inch 
in thickness, or in tin containers as specified in paragraph 25. 

25. When tin containers are used they shall be of heavy 
sheets, well made, rectangular in shape, hermetically sealed 
and securely packed in boxes or crates, with wood partitions 
between the containers. Containers will not exceed 5 gallons 
in capacity. Pack two 5-gallon containers in one box or crate. 

26. Acid will be shipped in glass carboys crated in accord-, 
ance with Fig. 30. 


Switchboards. 

27. Switchboards shall be packed in two boxes, the inner 
box being floated in the outer box, 3 inches clear space 
between, this space packed with excelsior. The inner box 
has supports; upon these is laid the switchboard with 
cigarettes between. These cigarettes are 2 to 3 inches in 
diameter, of excelsior rolled in paper; pieces are then forced 
down over the cigarettes and nailed to the sides. The inner 
box is completed, floated in the outer box, and this properly 
secured. (See Fig. 27 for heavy panels.) 


Roofing Paper. 

28. Roofing paper will be shipped in rolls, wrapped in 
stout paper well gummed down, with cloth pasted over the 
ends and on to the sides; or equal method. Roofing paper 
in rolls should be stacked on ends, and away from steam 
pipes. 


37 


Boiler. 


29. Where there are no protuberances likely to be injured 
the depot may authorize shipment without crating; in this 
case the marking will be put upon the metal. 

30. Tanks, boilers and similar material, where subject to 
damage if uncrated, will be shipped on skids or cradles, 
secured thereto by bands of ample strength provided with 
a turn buckle or satisfactory substitute; they shall be 
blocked against longitudinal shifting; the skids or cradles 
will present no sharp edges to the loads. 

Heavy Wheels. 

31. Heavy and large tractor or fly wheels will generally 
be shipped without crating or boxing. Hubs will be care¬ 
fully protected, if necessary. 

Shovels. 

32. Shovels will be shipped in bunches of six securely 
wired together with annealed wire of not less than No. 
12 B. W. G., the bowls will be nested, and the handles wired 
in two tiers of three each. 

Machines. 

33. Machines will preferably be shipped complete when 
weight and space occupied are not objectionable. Small and 
fragile parts will generally be demounted and packed with 
proper care, in a compartment built into the larger case. 
Other small detached parts should be bolted or securely 
fixed to the cross bars or supports, if not packed in a 
compartment of the main box. 

34. When machinery is knocked down, dismantled parts 
will be marked with a number of ample size and easily seen. 
Bolts and screws will be'greased and put back into their 
proper places. Each key will be taped in the key seat. 
Uncovered oil holes and tapped holes will be filled with pine 
plugs driven in to exclude dirt. 

35. Ventilation shall be provided for heavy and large elec¬ 
trical machinery, and for other shipments where necessary. 

36. Tongued and grooved lumber will generally be used 
where electrical machinery or other machinery is better 
protected by such means. 

37. Exposed surfaces of machine parts shall be protected 
with a rust-preventing coating, free from acid, which ex¬ 
pands easily, sets quickly to a sufficient firmness, and dis¬ 
solves readily when wiped down with oil, turpentine or 
petroleum. Adequate wood covers or lagging will also be 
used when necessary. 


38 


38. Where bearings are used as supports, block supports 
are prepared (see Fig. 28); support points (1) will be slushed, 
(2) a zinc plate will be laid thereon, (3) carriage cloth or oil 
cloth will be laid on the zinc finished side to the zinc, and 
the other side slushed to receive the shaft. 

39. Corrugated steel will generally be made into bundles 
of 200 pounds to 100 pounds by corrugated clamps of at least 
No. 14 B. W. G. in thickness; at least two will be used, not 
more than 36 inches apart; end clamps preferably about 
1 foot from each end. 

40. Rails will be shipped bare; splice bars preferably in 
pairs bolted together with their own bolts; fittings for rails 
preferably in boxes. 

41. Unfabricated rolled beams, channels, angles, tees and 
similar material, including plates, not less than 3/16 inch 
thick, will be shipped bare. 

42. Shapes made of sheet steel or iron of No. 11 B. W. G. 
or less thickness will be nested and crated, unless this is 
held unnecessary. 

43. Wire fence material will be made into tight rolls and 
securely wired, with wires about 6 inches from each end and 
not over 36 inches apart, not crated. 

44. Fabricated structural steel will generally be shipped 
bare. Each piece will be marked as directed. Where pro¬ 
jecting parts are likely to be injured, such blocking as will 
protect them will be placed, unless held unnecessary. 

45. Machinery steel or tool steel will, where boxed or 
crated, have a 2-inch head, or better, at each end; this will 
be secured by two to four bands over the end. Short pieces 
will be blocked so as not to ram the ends. In packing this 
material use strips of soft wood about 3 inch by ^ inch or 
5/16 inch between layers, at not less than two points, and at 
not less than one point for each 30 inches of length; band 
with 1 inch by .030 inch at each such point and at ends. The 
wood fillers crush and hold the bars in place. (See Figs. 
20 , 21 .) 

46. Steel pipe, when less than 2 inches in diameter, shall 
be bundled with not less than No 12 B. W. G. annealed wire 
into bundles of preferably less than 200 pounds. Threads 
will be slushed and provided with a metal thread protector. 

47. Steel pipe of 2-inch diameter or over shall be shipped 
bare. Threads shall be slushed and provided with a metal 
thread protector. 

48. Window glass will be packed in straw, preferably rye 
straw, unthreshed, in such manner as to support the glass 
everywhere. Division strips will be used liberally. Extra¬ 
ordinary care is requested of the manufacturer. (Glass 
should be stowed vertical and athwart ship.) 

39 


49. Lamp and lantern globes will be shipped in boxes of 
not over 25 cubic feet, all dimensions approximately the 
same. Two inches of excelsior will separate the contents 
from the inside of the boxing; a flat double-faced corrugated 
board will separate layers. Incandescent lamps will be cased 
in corrugated paper cylinders, and placed so as to com¬ 
fortably fill the layer; excelsior will be used where necessary 
for firm packing. 

Alternatively, well-packed cartons will be boxed; a space 
of 2 inches clear between cartons and box will be filled with 
excelsior or similar material. The excelsior will be in a 
compact and even bed with no lumps. 

Portable Buildings. 

50. Buildings designed by the division shall be shipped as 
shown on the drawings and in the specifications. 

51. Building designs submitted by others will include 
packing data with drawings and specifications accompany¬ 
ing; this subject will be covered in the order. 

52. The following form will be signed by the packer, or 
the manufacturer’s packing inspector, and attached to the 
packing list sent forward with each package: 

I certify that the contents of this package 
have been checked against the packing list 
and carefully packed in this package for 
overseas shipment. 


Packer (or inspector) 

In case of bad packing ,or shortage the 
manufacturer requests the return of this slip 
with a statement of the shortage or of the 
faults in packing. 


(Name and Address of Alfgr.) 

Analysis of the Faulty Packing arriving at Ports of Em¬ 
barkation based upon studies of 75 reports covering 
violations of instructions. 

The percentages shown indicate the relative degree of 
faults and will probably represent average conditions in 
engineer shipments that fall under the complaint class. 
Increased information and education in scientific packing 
will gradually reduce the faulty class and the ratios of 


40 




the faults will probably alter in direct proportion as tlie 
ease of remedy is applied. Faulty marking, mailing and 
strapping are more easily remedied and will undoubtedly 
become more infrequent at a quicker rate than the use of 
bad* lumber (which is not always under the packer’s control) 
or the matter of design. 


Per cent. 


Improper design of box or crate to get best results 56 
Waste space in box or crate, due to improper design 43 

Strapping unsuitable or improperly applied. 43 

Marking incomplete or improperly done. 51 

Nailing bad, two few nails, improperly placed, etc.. 52 
Lumber, trashy, wormy, unsuitable for purpose. 34 


Notes on Baling—Engineer Branch. 

Principal Item Baled, Sand-Bags. 

500, Present Standard Bale (10 bundles, 50 bags). 

Dimensions, 36x36x18; weight, 300 pounds. 

Carload, 150 bales; 1,260 cubic feet. 

Size of bag, 19 inches wide by 35 inches long. 

Weight of bag, 9.6 ounces. 

In presses three bales have been reduced in size to 
38 x 27 X 22. 

Bale of Ponton Covers: 

5 covers per bale; weight, 620 pounds; 500 net. t 

Bale them boxed, dimensions 50 x 33 x 33; 31j4 cubic feet. 

Practically all covers now overseas. 

Size Sand-bag changed recently. New bag, 25 inches long 
b}' 12J4 inches wide; baled, 500 in bale, 25x25x18 inches; 
weight, net, 160 pounds. 

Estimate of requirements, Req. 11 of 1918: 

40,000 per month for each 25,000 men; 10,000,000 have 
already been contracted for. Present approximate estimate 
of monthly requirements, 23,000,000. This small bag weighs 
5 ounces, and is made from 26-inch burlap folded in half 
and sewed one side and one end. Estimated monthly ton¬ 
nage and cubage, 3,400 tons—275,000 cubic feet. 

British are using 9-ounce burlap in their sand-bags. These 
bags are approximately 50 per cent larger than our 25-inch 
by 12^-inch bag. The French are about the same size as • 
the British. 

Can use any weight burlap that can be worked over into 
approximately the 25-inch by 12p2-inch bag size. 

Canvas, duck, ticking, etc., is being shipped in rolls and 
bales depending on the width of material and the purpose 
for which it is needed. 


41 





Camouflage duck rolls are 72 inches wide and approxi¬ 
mately 15 to 18 inch diameter, waterproof paper wrapped 
and then sewed up in burlap, no crating or boxing being- 
used. 

Other similar material is being bought in 36-inch widths. 
This is sewed together to make the 72-inch width and this 
style shipment is folded on itself and baled in standard units 
36x36x30 approximately, weighing 300 pounds, containing 
a maximum yardage of 286 yards of 73-inch 16-ounce duck; 
3,000,000 under contract. 

These bales and rolls are being strapped with double 
wires, the bales with three double wires each way, sides and 
ends, and the rolls are banded, this being done in New York 
and not at the mills. 


PART VII. 

STANDARD MARKING SPECIFICATIONS. 



I 








PART VII. 

STANDARD MARKING SPECIFICATIONS. 

1. The following standard markings shall be used on all 
freight packages intended for oversea shipment to the 
United States Expeditionary Forces overseas, including 
packages accompanying troops, and on all tags and labels 
attached to packages, with the exceptions noted in para¬ 
graphs 13 and 14. 


Standard Markings. 

1. Country of debarkation. —All packages to be shipped 
overseas to the American Expeditionary Forces shall, before 
shipment, be marked in the center of the face of package 
with the letters “A. E. F.” in equilateral triangle, thus; 

A 

E F 

Each side of the triangle shall be approximately one- 
fourth the width of the marking surface, but shall not on 
any package exceed 24 inches. 

2. Port of embarkation.— This shall be the name of the 
United States port through which the supplies are to be 
shipped overseas. Indicate by marking above the triangle, 
thus: “Via New York, Bush Terminal,” or “Via Philadelphia, 
Pier 38,” etc. 

3. Shipments to specific depots or organization units.— 

This shall be the name of depot or organization unit to 
which the supplies are to be delivered overseas and shall be 
used only when a package is intended for a specific organiza¬ 
tion or is assigned to a port of debarkation for a specific 
purpose. Indicate by marking below the triangle, thus: 
“Ordnance Base Depot,” “Motor Transport Repair Shop,” 
“Air Service,” etc. 

4. United States number.— This shall be the number offi¬ 
cially assigned to a shipment by the Embarkation Service 
or such other agencies as may be empowered by the Em¬ 
barkation Service to designate such numbers. The United 
States number shall consist of five parts: 

(a) The letters “U. S.” indicating United States property. 

(b) Figures representing the month and day of month. 

(c) A code letter (or letters) indicating the organization 
unit originating such number. 

45 


(d) Three figures indicating the number of the shipment 
authorized during a day, each day’s designations com¬ 
mencing with “001.” 

(e) A package number, separated from preceding figures 
by a dash “—,” the packages in each shipment being num¬ 
bered from 1 up. 

For example : U. S. 601 x 327—14 would represent the 327 
shipment authorized by the Embarkation Service (indicated 
by “X”) on June 1, and the 14th package of that shipment. 
If the first part of the number were U. S. 1214, etc., it would 
indicate a shipment authorized on December 14. This 
number need not be marked on packages containing sub¬ 
sistence supplies or ammunition, but shall appear on all 
transportation papers relating to such commodities. Indi¬ 
cate iDy marking this number in its entirety in upper right- 
hand corner of face of package or tags. 

5. Group (lot) and package numbers.— These shall be used 
only when it is necessary or desirable that a number of 
packages, all forming a part of the same group, should be 
forwarded together. The group number (which may or may 
not be the shipper’s serial number) shall be assigned by the 
original shipper and shall definitely identify the particular 
group. Indicate by marking in the lower right-hand corner 
of face of package the word “group,” and immediately there¬ 
under the group number, followed by the package number 
and the number of packages. All packages included in a 
group shall be given a consecutive package number, which 
shall be marked above the total number of packages in the 
group, thus: 


Group 

1201-16-18. 

which indicates package number 16 of 18 packages included 
included in group No. 1201. Group (lot) number may, in 
addition, be placed on the ends of the cases if desired. 

6. Weight.— This shall be the total weight in pounds 
when package is complete for shipment. Indicate by mark¬ 
ing in the lower left-hand corner of face of package or tags, 
thus: “226 pounds.” Weight need not be marked on 
packages containing subsistence supplies, 

7. Cubic volume.— This shall be the cubical displacement 
of package when complete for shipment. Indicate by mark¬ 
ing the nearest whole number of cubic feet in the lower 
left-hand corner of face of package immediately beneath 
the weight of package, thus: “64 cu. ft.” Cubic displacement 
need not be marked on packages containing subsistence 
supplies. 


46 


8. Corps number. —This is the requisition, item, contract, 
order, invoice, or manifest number, or such combination 
thereof as may be designated by the respective corps. Indi¬ 
cate by marking such numbers in the upper left-hand corner 
of face of package or tags. Corps numbers need not be 
marked on packages containing subsistence supplies. 

9. Corps insignia or symbol. —This is the insignia of corps 
to which the shipment is to be forwarded. Indicate by 
marking such insignia on both ends of packages or on- 
reverse side of tags, except that on subsistence supplies a 
crescent shall be marked instead of the corps insignia. When 
a corps uses a distinctive symbol (e. g., the red cross of the 
Medical Corps) such markings may be used either in addi¬ 
tion to or in substitution for the corps insignia. 

10. Description of contents. —This is the quantity and de¬ 

scription (name, size, style, etc.) of each article contained in 
package. Indicate by marking on both ends of package, at 
top or on reverse side of tag thus: “100 pr. field shoes. 

No. 2,” “Standard kit No. 12,” “Standard chest A,” etc. When 
there are in one package a number of different articles or 
a number of different sizes of the same kind of article, the 
contents must be listed on a “Packer’s List,” which shall be 
either (a) applied on both ends of package in accordance 
with instructions for pasting waterproof bales, or (b) placed 
in moisture-proof envelopes attached to both ends of 
package. 

11. Name of shipper. —This is the name of depot, con¬ 
tractor, quartermaster, or other person by whom the sup¬ 
plies are forwarded. Where supplies are shipped by a United 
States inspector at point of production, the name of pro¬ 
ducing contractor shall be shown as shipper. Indicate by 
marking below insignia or symbol on both ends of package 
or on reserve side of tags, thus: “From John Doe & Co.” 
When supplies are stored temporarily in assembly depots 
the symbol of the depot, preceded by the word “thru,” 
should be placed beneath the manufacturer’s name. 

12. Date of delivery. —This is the date of original delivery 
to the United States Government. It shall be used only on 
packages of subsistence or other perishable supplies. Indi¬ 
cate by marking month and year of such delivery imme¬ 
diately above the name of shipper on both ends of packages 
or on reverse side of tags. 

13. General supplies (other than subsistence supplies).— 

All standard markings shall be used on general supplies, 
except marks (2), (3), (5), and (12), which shall be used only 
when these apply. Parts of machinery, structural shapes, 
and similar material wdll be marked as prescribed in each 
particular instance according to prearranged schedules of 

47 


packing. Metal tags containing information necessary for 
the rendering of proper reports of loading and arrival at 
docks will be attached invariably to such commodities. The 
standard markings shall be applied to ammunition and 
ammunition components as far as possible, subject, however, 
to such special markings and designs as their particular 
nature and use require. 

14. Subsistence supplies. —The standard markings shall be 
applied to subsistence supplies as under— 

Marks (1), (9), (10), (11), and (12) shall alwaj^s be used. 

Marks (2), (3), and (5) shall be used when these apply. 

Marks (4), (6), (7), and (8) need not be used. 

15. General instructions relating to marking— 

No advertising matter shall appear on packages. 

Stenciling is preferable to hand marking. The height of 

letters shall conform to the size and character of package, 
but shall not be less than 4^ inch. When marking with sten¬ 
cils, use only United States Army stencil black standard 
paint of the following composition : 

Pigment, 50 per cent. 

Liquid, 50 per cent. 

Pigment shall consist of : 

Drop black, 50 per cent. 

Calcium carbonate, 50 per cent. 

Liquid portion shall consist of: 

V^arnish, 70 per cent. 

Combined dryer and thinner, 30 per cent. 

The thinner shall consist of turpentine or volatile mineral 
spirits or a mixture thereof. 

Special Requirements.— The paint shall dr}^ rapidly to a 
flat surface that hides well. 

The varnish should be a clear spar varnish. For bales or 
crates use the standard system of marking. For marking 
machinery carts, structural steel, or similar commodities, use 
United States standard paint, either white or of the corps 
color. 

On small boxes not returnable and not to be reused, 
markings may be applied in the form of printed labels 
inarked with waterproof ink in letters not less than % inch 
high. At least two labels, containing all markings should 
be glued to each package, one on each end. Such labels to 
be made of sulphite paper, sulphate kraft paper, or other 
approved paper, and should be applied with hide glue, fish 
glue, or casein glue. After being glued, the addressed label 
should be brushed over with a coating of formaldehyde. 

Where no containers are used for shipment, as in the 
case of a chassis or body of an automobile or a complete 
automobile, machinery parts, structural steel, etc., at least 

48 


two rough cloth or metal shipping tags (approved by the 
respective corps) shall be attached to each article by wire. 
Entries shall be made on such tags in accordance with the 
standard markings. These shipping tags are required in 
addition to any corps, section, or service name, or any data 
printed, perforated, or otherwise marked on motor vehicles 
or similar equipment. 

In all cases where, as a means of saving space, articles 
are packed in or along with other articles, all packages in 
each shipment should be marked or tagged in accordance 
with instructions for marking overseas shipments, and a 
complete list of contents should be noted on the packer’s 
list. The packages should be numbered and the packing list 
bearing the same number should go with the ship manifest. 

16. Duplicate markings. —There should be inclosed within 
each package a card of sufhcient size on which shall be 
recorded in legible characters all the standard markings, 
established by this general order, appearing on the face and 
ends of the package, so that if all or any of the exterior 
markings are obliterated or defaced, the package will con¬ 
tain ample directions to insure delivery to its proper destina¬ 
tion. Whenever boxes or bales are packed by manufacturers 
for shipment to assembly depots and it is impossible to fur¬ 
nish instructions as to the final destination, the duplicate 
markings called for in paragraph 16 will only apply to the 
package list, to avoid reopening of the box at the intermedi¬ 
ate shipping point. 

2. Copies of the foregoing instructions shall be furnished 
each shipper in ample time for use in making his initial 
shipment. 

3. A letter of instructions in regard to each shipment, in 
form substantially as follows, shall be sent the shipper by 
the War Department bureau concerned: 

Address reply to - (Date)- 

And refer to - 

From :- 

To :- 


Subject: MARKING INSTRUCTIONS FOR OVERSEA 
SHIPMENTS. 

(1) The markings on reverse side hereof are to be shown 

on each package contained in your shipment of-. 

(2) Please notify -— when shipment is made. 

(3) For further information, reference should be made to 
the detailed instructions relating to the marking of supplies 
to be shipped overseas, copy of which has already been 
sent you. 


49 








copies of ship- 


(4) Kindly furnish this office with 
ping list. 

By direction (or authority) of 


On the reverse side of this aforementioned letter, the 
following graphic instructions shall be shown. The figures 
in parenthesis refer to the standard markings on supplies 
to be shipped overseas, as prescribed in paragraph 1. 



4. In order to indicate definitely to the shipper exactly 
what markings to place upon the packages of a particular 
shipment the necessary data to complete the letter shall be 



50 















































filled in and the requisite standard markings applicable to 
such shipment shall be printed by hand, or typewritten in 
the proper places on the diagram. For convenient use the 
diagram should be approximately 5 inches by 8^2 inches. As 
examples, the following diagrams are given: 




51 








































































WAR DEPARTMENT CORPS OF ENGINEERS. U. S. ARMY 



52 






















































































WAR DEPARTMENT 


engineers, u. s. army 



Bolfs cocntcrbored —• 


F.$.3 

Crate- Framing 



Dowels 
Lon$ Bolt 


Four mot hods 
of .scabbing 


Crate Frarnin^ 


Cross member to be 
used when necessary 














































































WAR DEPARTMENT CORPS OF ENGINEERS. U. S. ARMY 



54 









































































WAR DEPARTMENT 


CORPS OF ENGINEERS. U. S. ARMY 



Fi$.9 

Crate-Places for Slin^ Lines and Center of 
Gravity are marked. 







Additional 

Additional corner 

o 

o 

o' 

O 1 

comer post 

post medium 

0 

e 

Ot 

O f 

heavy-; 

and li$ht.> 

o 

•; 

--• 


• 


rmi - 

Gjrner Posts if needed 


Fi$.lO 



z — 

• • ^ 

i 



!|l:i 

ft 





■ * < 


55 




























































.'Cross Piece- 


Cross Piece 


Socketin^ Cross Pieces 


Fi$.l2 


S. ARMY 


56 














































WAR DEPARTMENT _ CORPS OF ENGINEERS. U. S. ARMY 



(9 


57 


Crate turned to show top 





















































































WAR DEPARTMENT 


CORPS OF ENGINEERS U. S. ARMY 



BAND STRETCHER fMot patentedj 
Tighten, all bands by mechanical means 

Fi^.l6 



BAND STRETCHER fNot patented) 
Tighten all bands by mechanical means 

Fi$.l7 


/Bands |‘’*D2b’unonnedcd cold rolled 5\<Z0\, lapped of least 4"on 
side, secured at 4" intervals 
Lumber J51S or 525 not less)' 
j|' Lon$ nails two ^ 
n y^ays at cernens, 

^ irtermediatc nails 
" t^not b ^ ttrotjsfeh 
^sheath in$ 



Box for up b ZOO’^and IScu.ft 

_ Fi^l8 __ 



Box for up fo 200*“and 15 cu ft. 

__ 


58 

















































WAR DEPARTMENT 


.-Bands |V.030"to 2“-' 030"cold rolled unanncaled 
strip steel, lapped ot least 4"on side.securedy 
at 3" to 4" intervals. 


CORPS OF ENGINEERS U. S ARMY 



Box for lon^ thin objects 

Fi$.20 


Head thick and 
l|"thick.$rain 



Box for lon$ thin 
^ Ineavy objects. 

Objects secured in place by 
thin wood strips crushed in place 
between lovers 

_ 


Bands |'».020 to I"’‘.030 cold rolled 
unonneded strip steel, lapped d least 4* 
on side, secured at4'intervals 



id d center 
;^so if distance 
oetween bonds is 3ft 

Box for up to 4oo*ond 25 cu ft. 

_ Fi<§22 _ 



heothed crate 
ed$e strips 5*»^B.WQ, nailed at 4"to G’ 
intervals eadi le^.cut s$uane at ends and 
with cPmer of *20 BW.Q.metal, see Fi$. 24 

Fi^.23 


59 






































WAR DEPARTMENT 


CORPS OF ENGINEERS U. S. ARMY 



Corner of box (bands omitted) See 
also Fi$ 23 

Fi$.24 



& 

Brace piece running 
thru box to hold 

X some objed in place 






'‘"•._.5ocket pieces to take 



the thrust,nailed to 



the walls of case 


Where advisable run socket members 
to butt on frame as shown in Fi$ 12 

SOCKETING 

Fi$.25 







-nails about' £> ctrs 


Bumpers at corners, contents fragile, bumper is stout doth nailed on 
and well stuffed Lumber I"515 or better Double doth,if burlap is used 

BOX FOR SEARCHLIGHT MIRROR 

Fi$.26 
























































WAR DEPARTMENT 


CORPS OF ENGINEERS U S. ARMY 



Switch Board in place Box ready for Switch Board 

Switch boards shall be packed in two boxes, the inner box bein$ floated 
in the outer box, 3"clear space between.this space packed with excelsior 
The inner box has supports, upon these is laid the switch board with 
cigarettes between; these cigarettes are two to three inches in 
diameter, of doth stuffed wifh excelsior; pieces are then forced 
down over the cigarettes and nailed to the sides. The inner box 
IS completed, floated in the outer box,and this properly secured 

Fi$.27 __ 


61 






































WAR DEPARTMENT ' CORPS OP ENGINEERS. U. S. ARMY 



00 

C4 

:oa 


62 

























































































































































WAR DEPARTMENT CORPS OF ENGINEERS U. S. ARMY 



A*Sides and Ends; I" 515, or more if lumber is poor or splifs. 

B-Steel Bands, f ">^.015.’' Three are required crosswise of case 
and two lengthwise, as shown. These bands’shall be so 
secured at ends as to develop 10% or more of the strength 
of the bands 

C-Wall Board, top and bottom,outside of steel bands as shown. 

D'Steel Nailing Strips,!*015" shall pass alon$ sides and ends 
as shown and shall be nailed at four inch intervals through 
wall board into casing 

_ Fi$. 29 _ 


63 




















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